11.026
Core and Pancharatra: Krishna says all miseries due to war are self-caused; Yudhishthira describes how, based on the state of mind while dying, different warriors attained different worlds; Yudhishthira orders final rights for every dead body found on the battlefield.
vāsudeva uvāca॥
Vāsudeva said:
uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha gāndhāri mā ca śoke manaḥ kṛthāḥ। tavaiva hyaparādhena kuravo nidhanaṃ gatāḥ ॥11-26-1॥
Arise, arise, O Gandhari! Do not let your mind dwell in grief; for it is by your own offence that the Kurus have met their destruction.
yā tvaṃ putraṃ durātmānam īrṣumaty antamāninam। duryodhanaṃ puraskṛtya duṣkṛtaṃ sādhu manyase ॥11-26-2॥
You consider your son Duryodhana, who is wicked-souled, envious, and arrogant, having set forth an evil-doer, as good.
niṣṭhuraṃ vairaparuṣaṃ vṛddhānāṃ śāsanātigam। katham ātmakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ mayy ādhātum ihecchasi ॥11-26-3॥
How do you wish to attribute to me here a fault that is cruel, harsh, and a transgression of the elders' command, when it is self-caused?
mṛtaṃ vā yadi vā naṣṭaṃ yo'tītam anuśocati। duḥkhena labhate duḥkhaṃ dvāvanarthau prapadyate ॥11-26-4॥
Whoever grieves for what is dead, lost, or past, only gains more sorrow and falls into twofold misfortune.
taporthīyaṃ brāhmaṇī dhatta garbhaṃ; gaurvoḍhāraṃ dhāvitāraṃ turaṅgī. śūdrā dāsaṃ paśupālaṃ tu vaiśyā; vadhārthīyaṃ tvadvidhā rājaputrī ॥11-26-5॥
A brāhmaṇa woman gives birth for the sake of austerity, a cow gives birth to a draught animal, a mare gives birth to a runner. A śūdra woman gives birth to a servant, a vaiśya woman to a herdsman; but a princess like you is born for the purpose of destruction.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
tacchrutvā vāsudevasya punaruktaṃ vaco'priyam। tūṣṇīṃ babhūva gāndhārī śokavyākulalocanā ॥11-26-6॥
When Gāndhārī heard that repeated unpleasant speech of Vāsudeva, her eyes filled with grief, she became silent.
dhṛtarāṣṭras tu rājarṣir nigṛhyābuddhijaṃ tamaḥ। paryapṛcchata dharmātmā dharmarājaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram ॥11-26-7॥
But King Dhritarashtra, the royal sage, having controlled the darkness born of ignorance, righteously questioned Dharmaraja Yudhishthira.
jīvatāṃ parimāṇajñaḥ sainyānāmasi pāṇḍava। hatānāṃ yadi jānīṣe parimāṇaṃ vadasva me ॥11-26-8॥
O Pāṇḍava, you know the number of the living soldiers in the armies. If you know the number of those who have been slain, please tell me.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhishthira said:
daśāyutānām ayutaṃ sahasrāṇi ca viṃśatiḥ। koṭyaḥ ṣaṣṭiś ca ṣaṭ caiva ye 'smin rājamṛdhe hatāḥ ॥11-26-9॥
Ten ayutas, ten thousand, thousands, and twenty; sixty-six crores and six as well—these were slain in this royal battle.
alakṣyāṇāṃ tu vīrāṇāṃ sahasrāṇi caturdaśa। daśa cānyāni rājendra śataṃ ṣaṣṭiśca pañca ca ॥11-26-10॥
O king, there were fourteen thousand invisible heroes, and also ten others, one hundred, sixty, and five.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said:
yudhiṣṭhira gatiṃ kāṃ te gatāḥ puruṣasattamāḥ। ācakṣva me mahābāho sarvajño hyasi me mataḥ ॥11-26-11॥
Yudhishthira, tell me which path your noble ones have taken. O mighty-armed, you are considered all-knowing by me.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
yair hutāni śarīrāṇi hṛṣṭaiḥ paramasaṃyuge। devarājasamāṃl lokān gatās te satyavikramāḥ ॥11-26-12॥
Those truly valiant ones who joyfully offered their bodies in the supreme battle have attained worlds equal to that of the king of the gods.
ye tv ahṛṣṭena manasā martavyam iti bhārata। yudhyamānā hatāḥ saṅkhye te gandharvaiḥ samāgatāḥ ॥11-26-13॥
O Bhārata, those who fight with a joyless mind, thinking 'I must die', when killed in battle, they are joined by the Gandharvas.
ye tu saṅgrāmabhūmiṣṭhā yācamānāḥ parāṅmukhāḥ। śastreṇa nidhanaṃ prāptā gatās te guhyakān prati ॥11-26-14॥
But those who, though standing on the battlefield, begged for mercy and turned away, having met death by weapon, have gone to the Guhyakas.
pīḍyamānāḥ parair ye tu hīyamānā nirāyudhāḥ। hrī-niṣedhā mahātmānaḥ parān abhimukhā raṇe॥11-26-15॥
Those great-souled ones, though oppressed by others, reduced and weaponless, devoid of modesty, still faced the enemy in battle.
chidyamānāḥ śitaiḥ śastraiḥ kṣatradharmaparāyaṇāḥ। gatās te brahmasadanaṃ hatā vīrāḥ suvarcasaḥ ॥11-26-16॥
The heroes of great splendour, devoted to the warrior's duty, though cut down by sharp weapons, have attained the abode of Brahman.
ye tatra nihatā rājan-antarāyodhanaṃ prati। yathā kathaṃcit te rājan-samprāptā uttarān kurūn ॥11-26-17॥
O king, those who were slain there in the battle against the hostile army, somehow, O king, have reached the northern Kurus.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra said:
kena jñānabalenaivaṃ putra paśyasi siddhavat। tanme vada mahābāho śrotavyaṃ yadi vai mayā ॥11-26-18॥
O son, by what power of knowledge do you see thus, like a perfected being? O mighty-armed, tell me that, if indeed it is fit to be heard by me.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhishthira said:
nideśādbhavataḥ pūrvaṃ vane vicaratā mayā। tīrthayātrāprasaṅgena samprāpto'yamanugrahaḥ ॥11-26-19॥
Before your command, while I was wandering in the forest, this favor has come to me by the occasion of pilgrimage.
devarṣir-lomaśo dṛṣṭas-tataḥ prāpto'smy-anusmṛtim। divyaṃ cakṣur-api prāptaṃ jñānayogena vai purā ॥11-26-20॥
The divine sage Lomasha appeared; then I regained my memory. I also obtained divine sight through the union with knowledge, indeed, long ago.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said:
ye'trānāthā janasyāsya sanāthā ye ca bhārata। kaccitteṣāṃ śarīrāṇi dhakṣyanti vidhipūrvakam ॥11-26-21॥
O Bhārata, whether the bodies of those here, both those without protector and those with protector among these people, will be consumed according to the prescribed rites.
na yeṣāṃ santi kartāro na ca ye'trāhitāgnayaḥ। vayaṃ ca kasya kuryāmo bahutvāttāta karmaṇaḥ ॥11-26-22॥
Those among whom there are no doers, nor those here who have not kindled the sacred fire—O dear, for whom should we act, considering the multitude of actions?
yān-suparṇāś ca gṛdhrāś ca vikarṣanti tataḥ tataḥ। teṣāṃ tu karmaṇā lokā bhaviṣyanti yudhiṣṭhira ॥11-26-23॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, those whom the divine birds and vultures drag away here and there, for them, worlds will be determined by their actions.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
evam-ukto mahāprājñaḥ kuntī-putro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। ādideśa sudharmāṇam dhaumyam sūtaṃ ca sañjayam ॥11-26-24॥
Thus, when addressed in this way, the wise Yudhishthira, son of Kuntī, gave instructions to Sudharmāṇa, Dhaumya, the charioteer, and Sanjaya.
viduraṃ ca mahābuddhiṃ yuyutsuṃ caiva kauravam। indrasenamukhāṃścaiva bhṛtyānsūtāṃśca sarvaśaḥ ॥11-26-25॥
Vidura, the wise minister, the highly intelligent one, Yuyutsu, and the Kaurava, as well as Indrasena and others, all the servants and charioteers.
bhavantaḥ kārayantveṣāṃ pretakāryāṇi sarvaśaḥ। yathā cānāthavatkiñciccharīraṃ na vinaśyati ॥11-26-26॥
You all should have the funeral rites for these performed in every way, so that not even a single body, like that of one without a protector, is left to perish.
śāsanāddharmarājasya kṣattā sūtaśca sañjayaḥ। sudharmā dhaumyasahita indrasenādayastathā ॥11-26-27॥
By the order of Dharmarāja, the charioteer, Sūta, Sañjaya, Sudharmā along with Dhaumya, and Indrasena and others likewise (acted accordingly).
candana-aguru-kāṣṭhāni tathā kālīyaka-āni uta। ghṛtam tailam ca gandhān ca kṣaumāṇi vasanāni ca ॥11-26-28॥
Sandalwood, aloeswood, black aloe pieces, clarified butter, oil, fragrances, linen cloths, and garments.
samāhṛtya mahārhāṇi dārūṇāṃ caiva sañcayān। rathāṃś ca mṛditāṃs tatra nānā-praharaṇāni ca ॥11-26-29॥
He gathered together very valuable heaps of wood, as well as the remains of crushed chariots and various weapons there.
citāḥ kṛtvā prayatnena yathāmukhyān narādhipān। dāhayām āsur avyagrā vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā ॥11-26-30॥
With effort, funeral pyres were prepared for the chief kings, and unperturbed, they began to burn them according to the prescribed rites.
duryodhanaṃ ca rājānaṃ bhrātṝṃś cāsya śatādhikān। śalyaṃ śalaṃ ca rājānaṃ bhūriśravasam eva ca ॥11-26-31॥
Duryodhana, the king, his brothers numbering more than a hundred, Śalya, Śala, the king, and Bhūriśravas as well.
jayadrathaṃ ca rājānam abhimanyuṃ ca bhārata। dauḥśāsaniṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ ca dhṛṣṭaketuṃ ca pārthivam ॥11-26-32॥
O Bhārata, Jayadratha, the king, Abhimanyu, the son of Duḥśāsana, Lakṣmaṇa, Dhṛṣṭaketu, and the king (were seen).
bṛhantaṃ somadattaṃ ca sṛñjayāṃś ca śatādhikān। rājānaṃ kṣemadhanvānaṃ virāṭ drupadau tathā ॥11-26-33॥
Great Somadatta, the Sṛñjayas, and more than a hundred others, as well as King Kṣemadhanvan, Virāṭa, and Drupada also.
śikhaṇḍinaṃ ca pāñcālyaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ ca pārṣatam। yudhāmanyuṃ ca vikrāntamuttamaujasameva ca ॥11-26-34॥
Śikhaṇḍin, the son of Drupada, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the son of Pṛṣata, Yudhāmanyu, and the valiant Uttamaujas were also present.
kausalyaṃ draupadeyāṃś ca śakuniṃ cāpi saubalam| acalaṃ vṛṣakaṃ caiva bhagadattaṃ ca pārthivam ॥11-26-35॥
Kausalya, the sons of Draupadī, Śakuni the son of Subala, Acala, Vṛṣaka, Bhagadatta, and the king.
karṇaṃ vaikartanaṃ caiva sahaputram amarṣaṇam। kekayāṃś ca maheṣvāsāṃs trigartāṃś ca mahārathān ॥11-26-36॥
Karna, the son of Vikartana, along with his son Amarṣaṇa, the Kekayas, the great bowmen, the Trigartas, and the great chariot-warriors.
ghaṭotkacaṃ rākṣasendraṃ bakabhrātaram-eva ca। alambusaṃ ca rājānaṃ jalasandhaṃ ca pārthivam ॥11-26-37॥
Ghaṭotkaca, the king of the rākṣasas, the brother of Baka, Alambusa, the king, Jalasandha, and the prince.
anyāṁś ca pārthivān rājañ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ। ghṛtadhārahutair dīptaiḥ pāvakaiḥ samadāhayan ॥11-26-38॥
O king, others also, by the hundreds and thousands, were completely burned by blazing fires with offerings of streams of ghee.
pitṛmedhāś ca keṣāñcid avartanta mahātmanām। sāmabhiś cāpy agāyanta te'nvaśocyanta cāparaiḥ ॥11-26-39॥
The ancestor-rites of some of the great-souled were performed; others sang Sāman hymns, and yet others lamented them.
sāmnām ṛcāṃ ca nādena strīṇāṃ ca ruditāsvanaiḥ। kaśmalaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ niśāyāṃ samapadyata ॥11-26-40॥
During the night, the sound of Sāman hymns and Ṛc verses, along with the wailing of women, brought about dejection among all beings.
te vidhūmāḥ pradīptāś ca dīpyamānāś ca pāvakāḥ। nabhasīvān vadṛśyanta grahās tanv-abhrasaṃvṛtāḥ ॥11-26-41॥
Smokeless, blazing, and shining fires appeared in the sky, resembling planets veiled by thin clouds.
ye cāpyanāthāstatra āsannānādeśasamāgatāḥ। tāṃśca sarvānsamānāyya rāśīnkṛtvā sahasraśaḥ ॥11-26-42॥
And also those who were without protector and those who had assembled there by command, having brought all of them together, formed them into groups by thousands.
citvā dārubhiravyagraḥ prabhūtaiḥ snehatāpitaiḥ। dāhayāmāsa viduro dharmarājasya śāsanāt ॥11-26-43॥
Vidura, calmly gathering abundant woods soaked with oil and heated, set the body aflame as commanded by Dharmarāja.
kārayitvā kriyās teṣāṃ kururājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ puraskṛtya gaṅgām abhimukho'gamāt ॥11-26-44॥
After having the rites performed for them, King Yudhishthira of the Kurus, with Dhritarashtra at the front, proceeded toward the Ganga.
